We are in such strange times yet real estate continues on. For April 2020 the average sales price is $1,006,000 up from $966,000 in March And homes are still selling! 25 single family homes sold and 32 new listings for the past week. Santa Cruz county real estate is moving right along. If you are thinking of selling I recommend using this time to get deep into the closets, drawers, cupboards and clean them all out. If you have a garage or room stack it all in there. Buyers are pretty forgiving with items in the garage. Weather permitting clean your yard, or just your front step, if possible touch up paint inside and out. Tackle the to do projects. Now is the best time to get ready. I also recommend listing now and getting the disclosures signed and be…

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It just came to me that this Covid-19, Shelter in Place experience is a lot like a situation a few years ago. The Depression of 2008. A large mortgage bubble that popped and caused a faulty built economy to collapse. This created a huge mortgage meltdown people lost jobs, people that had jobs tied to the housing industry in any way lost their job.There is a lot that happened that I will not get into here. I learned a lot about banks, lenders, mortgage companies. 

I learned that in times of crisis the very large companies do not care. This does not mean the individual employees but the corporations. And as I was listening to the news I heard something interesting. Smaller banks and credit unions are working with people who are out of work or furloughed…

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What do people really hate to deal with? It is wills or trusts! It is the last thing most people really want to tackle. I think people prefer not to think about them because ultimately it is to consider one's demise. But please try to think of it this way, this is making sure your personal business is taken care of. I cannot tell you how many troubled family members I have helped through the ages that had problems because basic personal business was not settled. A clear and concise plan of action upon your death is the best gift you could give a loved one. I am not saying they may like your wishes but my experience is when it is all spelled out it is much less stressful for family or friends. Keep in mind it does not have to a formal trust, a will can…

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Here we are in a time in the world where we are really all in it together. This brief blog is just to let you know I believe it is going to be okay. People are so resilient, humans have lived through so much through out the ages we will get through this too. Hang in there. 

Years ago, 30 to be exact I was pregnant with my son, I was really panicking the world seemed to be going to ruins I was certain my child would be born into an all out disaster. But I was talking to a friend during this pregnancy and he said you know the world will keep spinning, it is going to be okay, the sun will come up and as a civilization we have made great strides the world powers really don't want to destroy everything. I calmed down and still remember it to this day. Then…

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The market is very busy, buyers are out and they are beating the bushes for homes. Homes that have been on the market for a while are selling quickly after sitting for months and new listings are flying off the shelves. And more than a few are being sold off market meaning they never go on the multiple listing service homes are being sold by word of mouth. Agents are networking and selling homes to agents they know and trust without going on the market at all.

Why do this? Most sellers do not relish the idea of people tramping through their house, poking in their closets, looking through their personal stuff, and if they have a number and a buyer will give it to them they sell. No open houses, no mad cleaning dashes before a showing, it really is…

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Have you ever heard that toddlers and children are the best negotiators and they do not even know they are doing it? You maybe negotiating without realizing it too.

Here are the ways you may be losing your place at the table:

Calling the listing agent to show you the property because your agent is "busy" or "out of town"

Asking the listing agent if they will represent you as well as the seller, to get a better deal

Going to the open house and making negative comments about the home, I rarely hold open a home that I do not hear "well it needs a lot of work"

You are pre-negotiating; if you call me to show the home, know that I will call your agent to see what the story is, often the buyer's agent has a stand-in for when they are gone and they…

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Should I refinance my loan? rates are at all time low?

This is a question I get asked a lot even from other realtors.

Yes rates are low but understand when you refinance you reset the clock if you have 10 years in on a 30 year and refinance you could be looking at a 40 year mortgage.

Also there are fees involved a lot of lenders say they don’t charge fees but they really roll them into the loan they do need to get paid also there are other fees, appraisal (yes sometimes waived), escrow and title fees, and other miscellaneous fees. This will get added in and it may not pay to refinance even with a lower payment because you have increased your balance.

For instance: I refinanced a mortgage with my lender in 2013, they told me there were no fees…

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Finding the perfect time to buy a home is a challenge that requires research and a bit of luck. While timing the purchase perfectly might be desirable, the truth is the right time is a personal decision. As we enter 2020, you might be wondering if this is the right time to buy your dream home. With a strong economy, low unemployment and higher household income, there are 3 great reasons why you should consider buying that dream home this year. 

1. A Home is a Great Investment – Real estate remains one of the best investments one can have. Based on hard assets, real estate tends to weather the ups and downs long term better than other investment tools, such as stocks or bonds.

2. Mortgage Interest Rates are Low – Interest rates have fallen over…

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